Petition miserably misdirected: MP HC Dismissed petition seeking regulations for working conditions, stipend for law interns

Justices Rohit Arya and Deepak Kumar Agarwal of Gwalior bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition filed by a law Student seeking directions to the Bar Council of India (BCI) to frame rules regarding working hours, other conditions, and payment of stipends to the law Interns.

The plea filed by one Siddharth Srivastava, a law student, appearing in person has filed a filed a pro-bono litigation. Srivastava has prayed for the following:

• Direct BCI to immediately constitute a committee and start working on the rules to govern inters regarding working hours, working conditions, stipend etc.
• Make stipend mandatory for interns working in private sector and to draft rules for government offices about what internship should be paid and what should not, to prevent every intern from getting exploited.
• Make a forum dedicated to solve the issues faced by interns only.

The Court while dismissing the petition noted that “the tenor, in which the writ petition is drafted and relief claimed, it appears that the petitioner is trying to assert as if either he is in the employment of the Bar Council of India.” The Court further noted that the Petition,” is miserably misdirected”

“If a law student is expected to do internship, he can not be a liability either that of a Bar Council of India or for that purpose any other establishment, instead, he has to gain experience with the permission granted to attend the court proceedings during court hours/working hours of establishment. Such experience shall ensure benefit to him in furtherance of his career and not otherwise,” the Court added.

Siddhartha Shrivastava v. Bar Council of India & Anr.